1. Field of the Invention
The present technology relates to the field of electronic gaming in all of its various formats and to game outcomes determined by accumulation and display of symbols (in order or not) and in which players may increase their chances of winning by purchasing symbol replacement insurance.
2. Background of the Art
In the gaming technology field, there have been few substantive ways in which players can reduce the likelihood of losses and/or increase the probability of a winning outcome without the use of gaming skills. The most traditional non-skill tactics available for giving players an apparent level of control over immediate game outcomes are the two tactics of insurance and surrender in blackjack and the “nudge” in slot machine games.
The insurance wager is available to a player when the dealer's up-card is an Ace, and only an Ace. The player may make an insurance wager that is no greater than (but may be less than) exactly half the player's game wager. If the dealer has a 10-count card in the hole (statistically 30.76% of the time), the insurance wager is paid at 2:1 odds. In the insurance play, when a player believes that he is likely to lose and entire wager on a round of blackjack, the player may “surrender” on the hand, forfeiting half of his wager and withdrawing half the wager. The “nudge” is an event in slot machines where one of the frames can shift its position towards a winning event. A nudge slot machine will move the winning combination up or down that little nudge that it needs.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,771,273; 8,485,906 and 8,500,562 disclose a form of long-term gambling insurance. The invention includes a system and method for planning and customizing a gaming vacation. The central controller provides feedback regarding the user's requests. The feedback may include, for example, marketing offers for the user and/or configuring a gaming device according to the configuration data associated with a preparation code received from a user at the gaming device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,489 (Arezina) describes Remove Terminators. The player can acquire a symbol that helps to increase the perception of achieving a favorable outcome. In exchange for one or more points, the player can acquire an insurance symbol that prevents a game terminating outcome. For example, the player may purchase a “Pooper Scooper” symbol that removes a “Pooper” symbol, which functions as a game terminating outcome. The “Pooper Scooper” symbol can be selected from an array of player-selectable elements. A player can purchase an extra “pooper scooper” in exchange for points. Do-Over. One or more points can be exchanged for a second chance, or a do-over, game feature. The player buys the second chance feature that allows the player to continue game-play or to re-play a particular play that has resulted in an unfavorable outcome for the player. For example, if the player is playing a bonus game in which three items of the same kind must be revealed within a limited period of time, the player may want to purchase a second chance feature to extend the period of time. Similarly, if the player is playing a bonus game in which the player must find a hidden treasure, the player may want to purchase a do-over feature if the player has not found the hidden treasure during an initial game session. Non-monetary points are scored in an account and used to purchase gaming play events.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,287,347 (Snow) describes a playing card gaming system that provides the player with an opportunity to withdraw a game play decision that is less advantageous to a player than at least one other play decision. The system includes a player interface that displays a prompt when a less advantageous decision is made. The display may include an area that provides the dealer with a visual indication that the player is being asked to confirm an election. A card delivery system with a playing card information reader provides card information to the system. A game processor determines if player elections are disadvantageous.
Published U.S. Patent Document 20080058092 (Schwartz) describes a multi-opportunity, risk vs. reward, playfield-style gaming platform grants players the ability to evaluate gaming situations and decide whether to risk current assets for greater rewards throughout the course of a game. Players have multiple opportunities to make risk versus reward decisions that ultimately affect the financial outcome of game play. Positive impact squares, negative impact squares and indifferent impact squares are assigned to the game playfield though the software platform based upon manufacturer and casino specified odds for each “Coin-In” credit level and value of game play. A status and information area legend is updated through the software platform and reports important game play information to players, allowing them to make more informed decisions throughout the course of their gaming experience.
All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.